Latest figures show that the West Middlesex Hospital Trust and the Primary Care Trust in Hounslow ran up a deficit in the past financial year.

Hounslow PCT, who provide GP and other services in the borough, had a deficit of £10.2million on a turnover of £272 million. Of the 303 PCTs in the UK, these figures are the 34th worst when deficits or surpluses are taken as a percentage of total turnover. By contrast, Hammersmith and Fulham had a £4.4million surplus after a turnover of £245m.

At West Middlesex Hospital, a £103 million turnover left a deficit of £9million. Of the 235 hospitals and other trusts, only 17 had a bigger deficit in relation to their turnover. Their debt in 2004 was £2.5m.

Nationally,
the NHS deficit has reached £512m - more than double the amount last year. The unaudited figure for the 2005-6 financial year is £100m less than mid-year forecasts, prompting ministers to say the crisis had stabilised.

Overall, nearly a third of the 566 NHS organisations failed to break-even with a hardcore group of 63 responsible for 70% of the deficits.